October 16, 2009

Madison was just spectacular to work with. The perfect 6X with the most willing attitude. Here she is wearing the Madison Rose Dress. It has a high yoke - my favorite for girls who want to look like girls. Full twirly skirt for spinning on the lawn. It can also be worn with a shirt as a jumper. Remember jumpers?

Kids clothes are just too much fun to work on. I enjoyed it when mine were little and still don't have it out of my system.

August 05, 2009

I found this little article extremely useful when it was necessary to explain how quilting fillers are stitched with speed. So what if it's a motorcycle concept? It's very true, it's how brains process, and down right interesting. Check it out........ think about it........try it for yourself when you quilt.

July 07, 2009

In 2004 I put together a class for the basic shapes used in piecing. I never thought it would be so difficult to find a quilt shop willing to let me teach it. It doesn't come from a book.

The first time out I taught at my friends studio/shop. The students all successfully completed a string and TATW quilts before this class. Two of the students completed TATW bed sized projects! They all FINISHED- as in bound and in use.

This class means business. It includes the how's and why's of piecing, starting with a good 1/4 inch seam. Moving to an accurate small 9-patch. Ending with 1/2 and 1/4 square triangles. After quilting for hire for 8 years I know the 1/4 square triangle is misunderstood. Different methods and tools for cutting and assembly are addressed. Yes, I am rather passionate about this quilt pattern!

Guilds include a wide variety of skill levels. I felt it would be a great forum. http://www.wvqg.com/home allowed me to teach it slowly over time. I think all but one student has a finished quilt. (can you tell I like to see them finished?)

SO this quilt pattern needs a name! Those who know me understand I am quilt naming challenged. I name my machines, but not my quilts. Maybe it comes from my need to do, once a quilt is done - well it's done.... off to the next one. Suggestions welcomed.

July 02, 2009

June 16, 2009

Once upon a time there were 4 sisters. One of the middle sisters thought the other middle sister should make herself a quilt. So she made her some blocks to get her started.

Three of the sisters got together one summer at the oldest sisters house. The little sister couldn't make it there because her daughter fell on her head. The 3 sisters put the blocks on a wall to make some sort of sense out of them. The oldest sister, with the professional art background, thought some of the blocks were far to ugly to end up in any quilt, she threw them away. The block making middle sister pulled them right out of the trash anyway. The destined to quilt sister was just too tired to deal with any of it, and the blocks were put in a box.

The destined to quilt sister moved in with her little sister who quilts for a living. One day she brought the box of blocks into the workroom. She was very kind to her little quilt making sister and often brought her tasty and pretty lunches. So the little sister put the blocks on the wall of the workroom in a big polka dot arrangement. You see she works with a lot of polka dots, and really likes them.

The next time her destined to quilt sister brought her a tasty and pretty lunch she say the wall and said "cool". I think an idea had popped into her head! She stared at the wall for a while, and eventually took the blocks down and scurried off to her own little sewing domain. She worked and worked until the piecing was done. Voila, a quilt top - ugly blocks included!

Now the little sister had to quilt it........... and yes it took her a while!

June 06, 2009

Melanie inNJ Here's your quilt. It was a multi day quilting process. I often wonder - if the piecers wonder - why I choose what I do. It's a guessing game to figure out what a piecer wants / likes. Often we don't know each other. I need to pick up clues not only from the quilt top but from the person. Those tiny Jane Sickle blocks screamed detail me. The rest came from there. I must say the outer borders were a long (sorry) and boring job. Sometimes the work is tedious, both with the piecing and quilting. There's no way around it. Got to just get it done, or find yourself with another UFO.

Growing up learning to sew was out of necessity for me. I remember the moment the switch in my head flipped to the "need to do this" position. It involved some really really ugly hand-me-downs. I spent all Christmas break figuring out how to make a blouse. Many tasks are repetitive or require extra effort to pull off with any project. Those jane blocks are a great example. So, How do you overcome the tedious tasks in your quilting?

June 04, 2009

I had the honor of teaching at the Sussex Library last summer. Now I can finally post the pictures! Woo hoo- steady internet connection is wonderful. The first one finished with a bed sized quilt received free quilting. She is second from the left hiding in the back. Below is her quilt, it's even better in person!

October 13, 2008

I keep pioctureing Deputy Dog muttering when things went wrong. I don't think it's the right phrase, but it suits.

My longarm is having a problem. After months and months of very fine performance "He" has decided to break threads. It's a very specific kind of break, non-directional, random, and frustrating. Tension is perfect and the stitches are beautiful. This darn thread break leaves a 4" tail of upper thread under the quilt. I think I pinned down the problem thanks to one very fine tech support guy at Gammill. He is great, my hero.

I know how it started. In 7 years of quilting I broke 5 needles, 3 on the same quilt. That quilt started the problem, it left a rough spot on the bobbin race. Early this month I broke #5 on a thick seam area while stitching a panto. Icing on the cake so to speak. It left an even rougher spot on the bobbin race. When the needle is down and the thread loops around the bobbin - right before the take up lever snugs up, thread snags on that rough spot and breaks. I don't have the right stuff here to buff it away. So the wait for parts begins.

Kind of the way the summer went here. The town for some reason decided to re-do my road. It began in April and ended in August; 3 major power hits, 23 hours of missed work, and $400 in machine parts. If I had to spend any more time listening to the backup beeps of the construction trucks I'd scream. I miss the potholes-the speedway stinks.

Now you might start thinking that I make this stuff up right? This was the view from the workroom one Saturday. Yep, the backyard was on fire. It came up from the open land behind the house- fast! It took 3 fire companies, 2 planes, 1 helicopter, 1 forest service truck, and a big group of hardworking firemen to put out.

October 10, 2008

I know that those of us over 40 have seen this type of smocking before. Think back to your old Aunt's pillows. It's been around a long time. It's not like traditional smocking, no elasticity, the stitches are worked on the back (don't show). It's most often seen on checkered homespun - avoiding the tedious job of marking out a grid of dots.

The samples have three rows marked in colored pencil. The only stitch required is a knot. Start that knot in the bottom corner of a solid color square. In this case it's the white square. Leave slack in the thread .

Next pick up a few threads just under this knot and a few threads in the opposite corner. Pull the corners together and work a knot.

On to the blue. Pick up a few threads and tie a knot in the next solid colored square. Remember to leave slack in the thread, you don't want this to gather.

Pick up the corner under the knot and a few threads in the opposite corner.

Pull together and knot.

That's all there is to it. If you are planning to give it a try you might want to mark out some rows. The washable colored pencils grocery store are great for marking rows until you get the hang of it. Use different colors for each row so you don't get lost. Try starting out with a large check, and a much bigger section of fabric than you will need for your finished project.

Thank you for your interest! If you have any further questions I would be happy to answer them.

Bren, Yes I do distance quilting. I even have a little map with with some interesting dots. It's fun to know where some of the quilts end up.

Now I really gotta get back to the workroom..... that dolly dress quilt won't quilt itself....Cheryl